Trolley-catcher.



Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-$HEET 1 INVENTOH C. I. EARLL. TROLLEY UATGHER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 20, 1909.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOH OTD-LITHCL, WASHINGTQN. D. C.

l/W y 3 I 0. I. EARLL.

TROLLEY GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.20, 1909.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

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TROLLEY-CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept.15,1914.

Application filed March 20, 1909. Serial No. 484,654.

. To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHAnnEs I. EARLL, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trolley catchers.

The object of my invention is to produce improvements in the mechanism of this general class of devices which shall renderthem more simple and effective in their construc-' tion and operation than those at present in use. v p

My invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a section on line aa of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section on line b?) of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section corresponding to Fig. 2 showing the parts in different position and showing one of the parts in modified form; and Fig. 4 is also a section corresponding to Fig. 2 showing another modification.

The reference characters are used in the same sense throughout the drawings and the specification.

Numeral 1 represents the back or main part of the casing; it is provided with internal teeth or abutments 2, forming recesses 37 between them. An annular flange 3 adapted to'fit a socket, not shownin the drawing, which is secured to the dash of the car. It is also provided with an annular flange 4 which retains the shell 5 in position. A central shaft 6 has a flange 7 secured at its front end and a thumb nut 8 at its rear end and holds the parts of the case together. Mounted on the shaft 6 is the drum 9 which receives the trolley rope 10. The drum is provided with a tension spring 11 for the purpose of taking up slack in the trolley rope, in the usual manner. The outer end of the spring is secured to the drum and the inner end to the inwardly projecting flange or hub on the flange 7. On the inner face of the drum and in the plane of the teethQ and recesses 37 of the back, is a stud 12 which carries the lock orlock pawl 13. The end of this pawl is adapted to enter the recesses 37 and to engage a tooth 2 and the case at the bottom of the recess and to it is pivoted a pawl 14 having a. tooth or point 38 at its end adapted to entersaid recesses and to engage the same. Said pawl 14 is held inward toward the center by the spring 15 and has its end resting against a banking 16 cast on the face of the drum; The spring 15 also tends to pull the lock pawl toward the center of the drum and causes it to rest uponthe lug 17 on the face of the drum. The spring 15, in addition to returning the pawls 14 and 18 to, and keeping them in their normal positions during the regular working of the trolley catcher, when the trolley wheel is on the wire, permits the pawl 14 to fly outward under the action of centrifugal force when the drum is quickly rotated, at the same time holding the pawl 13 against its banking until the pawl 14 has engaged a recess; and it 7 holds thepawl 14 in engagement withthe recess both while the pawl 13 is being car-,

ried out into engagement by the further turnlng of the drum, and while the pawl 13 is being returned to its normal position by a predetermined angular movement of. the drum in the opposite direction. Furthermore the strength of the spring 15 determines the sensitiveness of the catcher, or the degree of rapidity with which the drum must be rotated to cause the locking device to act.

Numeral 18 represents an eccentric preferably cast integrally with the back 1 sur rounding the shaft 6 and in the plane of the centrifugal pawl 14. A spring 19 is secured to the centrifugal pawl and bears against this eccentric. The center of the eccentric shown in Fig. 2 is arranged above the center of thegshaft 6 so that when the centrifugal pawl occupies a substantially horizontal position above the center of the shaft, the spring will exert an upward pressure on the centrifugal pawl sui'iicient to overcome the influence of gravity. The purpose of this construction is to make the centrifugal pawl equally sensitive at all points of its revolution, for it will be obvious that without this equalizing device when the centrifugal pawl occupies a horizontal position above the center of the shaft the centrifugal force will have to overcome the spring 15 and in addi-. tion thereto the effect of gravity acting on the pawl, whereas when the centrifugal pawl occupies a substantially horizontal position below'the center of the shaft the centrifugal force will have to overcome only the difference between the tension of the spring 15 and the effect of gravity. By means of the construction described and illustrated in Fig. 2, the forces opposingthe centrifugal force, when the drum is quickly rotated, will be substantially uniform throughout the en-- tire revolution.

When rope is unwound from the drum, the drum revolves in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 2, 3 and 4; When the drum is quickly rotated in thisjdireotion the effect of centrifugal force and of inertia will cause thecentrifugal pawllt to fly outward to 'sonieisu'ch position as indicated by dotted lines20 in Fig. 2; then'the continued revolution of the drum in this direction will cause the tooth the end of the centrifugal pawl to entertherecess 37 and to seat itself j against a tooth, as 21, in the back and afterward to force the lock'pawl 13 out into a recess and into engagement with another tooth, as 22. The'angular movement of the drum or amount which the drum rotates after the centrifugal pawl has moved out I to the position of engagement, as indicated i by dotted'lines 20, to the. point where the end of the lock pawl 13 engages a tooth 22,, is indicated by 'theangle between the lines aa and the lines 0-0. The angle between I these lines also represents the amount which the drum must turn backward, or rebound,

before the centrifugal pawl can drop out of engagement'with the tooth 21. This is animportant feature of my invention, as

it prevents the unlocking of the drum due to the rebound of the trolley pole.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a modifica 'tion of the gravity equalizing device in,

which the eccentric 27 is located above the center of the shaft and the spring 28 secured stantially-horiz ontal position below the cen-;

A ter of the shaft. It is-obvious, however,

to the centrifugal pawl and bearing against the eccentric is of such form that it tends to move the centrifugal pawl toward the cen ter and to lift it when it occupies a sub that the result .will be substantially the same in both forms .of the construction and: that.

in each the equalizing eflect results from ap' propriately increasing 1 and decreasingthe stress on the spring which controls the cenfication for accomplishing this result.

trifugalpawl in such-a manner as to counter'act the influence of gravity on the pawl.

In Fig. 4 Ihave shown'still another modi- In this C'Zt SQI' lOCELlEQ the center of the shaft 6 eccentric to the teeth 2 inthe back, the center of the shaft being at 29 and the center of the teeth being at 30. By means of this arrangement it .will be seen that the centrifugal pawl has to move through a greater angle and consequently has to defleet the spring 15 to a greater extent when gravity acts against said spring than'it does when gravity acts in the same direction as the spring. Thus when the center of the centrifugal pawl pivot is at 31 the centrifuto reach its engaging position. In this con struction in theconstruction shown in Figs. 2'and 3 it will also be observed that the equalizing result is accomplished byvai-y-ing the deflection'and consequently the stress of a spring acting on the centrifugal pawl, in this case onthe spring 15, when the centrifugal pawl is moved to its engag ing position, in such a way as to "counterbalance or neutralize the eifect of gravity on the pawl. In the form shown in Fig. 3 by making the spring 28 of proper strength,

the spring 15 may be dispensed with. Having thus described my invention what 1 claim is:

1. In a trolley catcher the combination with a case, of a drum adapted to receive tlietrolley rope 'rotatably mounted in said case, a slack-absorbing spring adapted, to

rotate said drum to wind the trolley rope thereon, a lock pivotally mounted on the drum adapted to engage the case, and'a centrifu gal pawl pivotally mounted on the lock adapted to engage the case and tothereby cause said lock to engage the case.

2. In a trolley catcher, the combination -with a case, of a drum rotatably mounted therein, a slack-absorbing spring adapted to rotate said drum for winding thetrolley rope thereon, a lock inoi'inted on said drum adapted to engage said case for locking the drum. when rotated in the opposite direction, and means adapted to engage the case for moving said look into locking pesition when the drum is quickly rotated in. said opposite direction, said means maintaining. its engagement with the case until the drum is rotated predetermined amount hysaid spring. I v I 1 .In a trolley catcher the combination with a case, of adrum rotatably mounted therein, a spring adapted to rotate said drum for winding the trolley rope thereon, a lCGlLniOllIltd on said druin'and adapted to'engage said casefor locking the drumagainst rotation in the opposite direction,- centrifugal ineanscarried by the drum and adapted by engagement with'lsaid case to move said lock to operativeposition, and means operating tojprevent a return movement of the centrifugal means until after the lock has been returned to normal position.

4. In a trolley catchenthe combination with a drum, of a centrifugal pawl adapted to rotate with said drum and to move to an:-

engaging position when the drum is quickly rotated, a spring connected to said pawl and means for varying the stress in said springv at the engaging. position of said pawl at different points in its revolution to compensate for the influence of gravity.

5. In a trolley catcher the combination with a case, of a drum rotatably mounted in said case, a slack-absorbing spring adapted to rotate said drum to wind up the trolley rope thereon, means connected with the drum adapted to engage the case when the drum is quickly rotated in the rope-unwinding direction and to check the rotation of the drum after the drum has rotated a pre determined amountin said direction following the engagement of said means with the case, and to remain in engagement with the case until the drum has turned 'a like amount in the rope-winding direction, said means comprising a centrifugal pawl and a yielding connection between said centrifugal pawl and the drum.

6.--In a trolley catcher the combination with a drum and a case provided with a plurality of teeth, of a centrifugal pawl adapted to revolve with said drum and to engage said teeth when the speed of rotation exceeds a predetermined limit, an eccentric, eccentric to the axis of revolution of said centrifugal pawl, and a spring acting between said centrifugal pawl and said eccentric to compensate for the influence of gravity on said pawl.

7. In a trolley catcher the combination with a case, a drum rotatably mounted in said case, a slack-absorbing spring adapted to rotate said drum to wind the trolley rope thereon, a centrifugal pawl mounted to revolve with the drum and adapted to engage the case when the drum is quickly rotated in the rope-unwinding direction, and a yielding connectionbetween said centrifugal pawl and the drum adapted to yield while the drum turns through a predetermined angle, and to then check the drum, and to withdraw said centrifugal pawl from engagement with the case after the drum has been turned by said slacleabsorbing spring through the same angle in the rope-winding direction.

8. In a trolley catcher, the combination with a drum, of a lock pivotally mounted on said drum, a centrifugal pawl mounted on said lock, a spring attached to said centrifugal pawl and to said drum adapted to move said lock and said centrifugal pawltoward the center of the drum, and bankings on said drum adapted to be engaged by said lock and said centrifugal pawl respectively.

9. In a trolley catcher, the combination with a drum, of a lock pivotally mounted on said drum, a centrifugal pawl pivotally mounted on said lock, and a spring secured to said centrifugal pawl at a point between its center and its pivot, and to said drum, tending to draw said centrifugal pawl and said lock pawl toward the center of the drum.

trolled pawl pivoted to said lock pawl, and

a spring secured to said centrifugal pawl at a point betweenits center and its pivot tendingto pull both said centrifugal pawl and said lock pawl toward the center of rotation and permitting said centrifugal pawl to be turned away from the center of rotation independently of the lock pawl.

11. Ina trolley catcher, the combination with a drum adapted to receive the trolley rope, of a case in which said drum is rotatably mounted having a plurality of teeth, a lockpawl pivotally mounted on said drum and adapted to engage said teeth, a centrifugal pawl pivotally mounted on said lock pawl, and adapted to engage said teeth and by such engagement to cause the lock pawl to engage said'teeth, and means operating to hold said centrifugal pawl in engagement with said teeth until the lock pawl has returned to its normal position.

12. In a trolley catcher, the combination with a drum adapted to receive the trolley rope, of a case in which said drum is rotatably mounted having a plurality of teeth, a spring adapted to rotate said drum for winding the trolley rope thereon a lock pawl pivotally mounted on said drum and adapted to engage said teeth, to prevent rotation in the opposite direction a centrifugal pawl pivotally mounted on said lock pawl and adapted to engage said teeth, and by such engagement to cause the lock pawl to engage one of said teeth, and adapted to remain in engagement therewith during the turning of the drum the predetermined amount by said spring.

13. In a trolley catcher, the combination witha case provided with internal teeth, of a drum rotatably mounted in said case, a lock pawl pivotally mounted on said drum and normally held out of engagement with said teeth, a centrifugal pawl pivoted to said lock pawl adapted to engage one of said teeth, and remain in engagement therewith, and a spring for holding said pawl in engagement with said tooth during the return of said pawl.

14. In a trolley catcher, the combination with a case provided with teeth, of a drum rotatably mounted in said case, a lock pawl pivotally mounted on said drum and adapted to engage said teeth, a pointed centrif-f ugal pawl pivoted to said lock pawl adapted to engage said teeth, and by its engagement with one of said teeth to force said lock pawl into engagement withanother of said teeth, the length of said centrifugal pawl from the center of its pivot toits end being greater than the distance from the center of said pivot to the point of the tooth engaged by thecentri'fugal pawl when the lock pawl is. in engagement with its tooth.

15. In a trolley catcher, the combination with a case provided with teeth, of a drum rotatablymounted in said case, a lock pawl pivotal'ly mounted on said drum normallyout of engagementwith said case, and means adapted to interlock with one of said teeth and to cause said lock pawl to engage said case, said means adapted toremain in interlocked engagement during thereturn of said look pawl to its normal position, and said means comprising a centrifugal pawl pivoted to said lock pawl. s

16. A trolley eatcher comprising a case provided with abutments, a drum rotatably mounted in said case, a member movably mounted on said drum adapted to engage said case but normally held out of engagement therewith, and a centrifugally conand by such engagement tocause saidmem-' her to engage the case, means whereby said centrifugally controlled pawl will be held in engagement with said abutment during a predetermined, angular movement of the drum in the reverse direction to that which causessaid engagement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

1 CHARLES I. EARLL.

Witnesses:

' ERNEST MILLER,

JO N F. VALENTINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing th Commissioner f Paten'ts, Washington, D. C. v 

